Knickers Long Gone

Knickers long gone, but not the friendships

This is a headline in today's Edmonton Journal (see page B1). Its a good example of english usage being different between two countries. In England "knickers" are panties - here they are a form of trouser. So a Brit reading this headline (which was about nurses) would think that women who lost their panties and didn't bother finding them again had many friendships!

Which reminds me of another phrase I like. Describing a pretentious and ostentatious person, my grandmother would say "Ah, she's all fur coat and no knickers!". Lovely phrase.

Went to the Easter Pro-Coro concert last night to hear the Mozart Requiem. Choir and 18 piece orchestra is excellent form and most of the soloist were passable, except the tenor who was simply dreadful. Michel Landry - who teaches high school chemistry by day and sings by night. He should stick to chemistry. In a hall with some of the best acoustics on the world, he was timid, limp and poor - it would have been better without him.

But the evening was made for me by the world premier of a new oratorio like work from Allan Bevan called Nou Goth Sonne Under Wode which was outstanding. A haunting narration, beautiful soprano singing from Jolaine Kerley and excellent orchestration, which included the concert organ. A powerful work which I think will be performed time and time again and should be. I was grateful for the chance to thank the composer personally - always nice, especially when the work is so stunning.

The other piece was Mozart's Exultate, Jubilate - where Jolaine was not as strong as she was the rest of the evening (nerves, perhaps - the place was full and holds 1,900 people).

Had a meal beforehand with Neil and Jeanne and their friend Nancy, who paid. The restaurant cant cope with a table for 5 - they can do 2,4 and 6 but not 5. The host (we cant call them Maitre D' here - too French) was some 9 years old schoolboy who was wearing his first pair of long pants and who has the social skills of a deformed ant. The food - thai - however, was superb. Ah well, cant have it all.

Bought some lovely pure silk shirts for my Jamaican vacation at the best shop on the planet - Winners. This shop buys up remainder goods all over the world and sells them. So you end up with quality goods at half price or less. What a good concept.

The wedding we were to go to in Bristol in July looks like its not going to happen. SJA is not ready for this particular marriage at this particular time. I hope she's OK.